Evaporative cooler construction



July 27, 196 R. L. KOBLE, JR

7 EVAPORATIVE COOLER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 11, 1960 INVENTOR.

ROBERT L. KOBLE JR.

United States Patent Office 3,197,183 latented July 2?, 1955 3,197,183 EVA?QRATEVE COOLER CGNSTRUQTHON Robert L. Kohl's, .lin, lioenix, Ariz., assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 48,887 4 Claims. (Cl. 26136) This invention relates to an evaporative cooler construction and more particularly to an evaporative cooler construction wherein an evaporative cooler pad trough serves a dual purpose, namely, for distributing water to an evaporative cooler pad and also for receiving water normally poured into the evaporative cooler to supplement the supply of water in the sump thereof.

Prior art portable evaporative coolers have been provided with sump or reservoir means for holding a suflicicnt supply of water for the purpose of operating the evaporative cooler for a given length of time. Such portable coolers have employed access doors in the sides thereof to permit the filling of the sump or reservoir from time to time as required. Additionally, such portable evaporative coolers have of necessity utilized evaporative cooler pads and troughs for distributing water thereto.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an evaporative cooler of the portable type wherein the sump thereof is disposed to receive water and wherein an evaporative cooler pad in the side wall of the evaporative cooler housing is pivotal outwardly at its upper edge wherein a trough receives water from a pump to wet the evaporative cooler pad and wherein the supply water may be poured so that it may gravitate through the pad and into the sump for filling the same thereby obviating the necessity of having a separate sump access door in the side of the cooler for filling the sump.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very simple evaporative cooler pad trough and water supply means which serves a dual purpose, namely, that of distributing water to the evaporative cooler pad and also serving as a receiver for water poured into the evaporative cooler pump to supply the sump thereof with a reserve amount of water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable evaporative cooler having a water supply sump in the bottom thereof and wherein an evaporative cooler pad is pivotal outwardly at its upper portion with a pump outlet and delivery tube coupled to the trough at the upper portion of the pad; said trough having a shield above the connection of the tube with the trough to prevent water from the pump from overflowing the sides of the trough; said trough when pivoted outwardly at its upper portion having its inner portion over the sump of the evaporative cooler so that water when poured into the trough will gravitate into the sump.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of a portable evaporative cooler showing an evaporative cooler pad pivoted outwardly at its upper edge and wherein a trough is disposed to distribute water to the cooler pad and also to receive supply water for delivering the sameto the reservoir or sump of the evaporative cooler.

PEG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, plan sectional View taken from the line 22 and showing only the upper portion of the evaporative cooler pad trough; FIG. 2 being rotated substantially 90 degrees from the direction at which the view is taken from FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse, sectional view of the evaporative cooler frame and pad trough structure taken from the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, rear elevational View of the pad latch structure of the invention taken from the line i-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View of a substantially conventional means for pivotally supporting a tiltable pad in connection with an evaporative cooler frame.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the portable evaporative cooler of the invention is provided with a sump or reservoir 1t wherein a pump 12 is driven by a shaft 14, extending from the blower 16 which delivers air through an evaporative cooler pad 18 and outwardly through a grill 2% to a use location.

The pump 12 is provided with a water outlet 22 which is connected to a trough 24 in the upper portion of the evaporative cooler pad 18. The trough 24 is provided with conventional ends 23, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, these ends being well known to those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings, the tube 22 is connected to a tubular connection 25 secured to the trough and positioned above this connection 25 is a bailie plate 27 which prevents water passing upwardly through the tube 22 from splashing over the sides of the trough 24. Water passing from the tube 22 under pressure impinges on the lower side of the bafile 27 and is deflected laterally and downwardly from the bafiie into the trough 24.

As shown in FIGS. 2 ad 3 of the drawings, the bottom of the trough 24 at one side thereof is provided with conventional punched out outlet openings 26 through Wmch water may gravitate downwardly through the pad 18.

It will be seen that the pad 18 may be pivoted outwardly into a solid line position as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings and when in operation may be disposed in a broken line position A wherein the outer side of the pad 18 is substantially flush with the outer side of the cooler frame.

As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional pivot pin 31 is located at one side of the evaporative cooler frame at opposite sides of the opening in which the pad frame is pivotally mounted. The trunnion pins 31 are conventional pins similar to various prior art devices used to support pivoted elements.

When it is desired to add water to the supply in the sump or reservoir 10 the evaporative cooler pad is released by means of a latch member 28 as will be hereinaiter described and pivoted outwardly to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1 wherein the trough 2 is open beyond the outer side of the evaporative cooler frame. It will be noted that pivotal movement of the pad 18 outwardly into the position as shown in FIG. 1 is permitted by pivotal action'of the lower edge structure of the frame of the pad 18 hearing pivotally on an upper edge of a sump structure of the frame at 29. In this position the lower portion 25 of the evaporative cooler pad is directly over the sump 1t and water may be poured into the trough 24 whereupon it runs down through the openings 26 and through the pad into the sump 10. Thus, the supply water may be added to the sump it) of the portable cooler as desired without resorting to the utilization of the useful access doors normally provided in addition to the evaporative cooler pad structure.

The latch 28 is a bayonet type latch having a loop handle 39 extending through a bayonet member 32 which is provided with a pair of oppositely directed fingers 34 and 36. These fingers 34 are insertable through an opening 33 in the side of the cooler frame and this opening 38 is elongated horizontally so that the fingers 34 and 36 may be rotated 90 degrees from that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for insertion through the opening 38 and then may be rotated 90 degrees into the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that the fingers 34 and 36 loci; behind the wall 48 at the rear 01 the evaporative cooler for holding the evaporative cooler pad in closed position as shown in FIG. 3 which corresponds to the broken line position A shown in FIG. 1.

it will be appreciated that the utilization of the evaporative cooler pad trough as a receiving device for supply water poured into the sump of the portable cooler simplifies the construction thereof since the useful type of access door in the side of the cooler is not needed. This simplification renders the cooler more economical to manufacture and provides for extreme simplicity in the operation of pouring additional water into the sump. It will be understood that the useful side access door in some instances requires the most careful pouring of water into the sump to avoid spilling water over surrounding articles.

In accordance with the present invention the entire trough at the upper portion of the evaporative cooler moves outwardly of the side of the evaporative cooler frame permitting this large trough to project in such a manner that pouring water therein is very easy to accomplish without spilling the water externally of the evaporative cooler.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. in a portable evaporative cooler the combination of: a housing having a water sump therein; an evaporative cooler pad and trough assembly pivotally mounted in one side of said housing, said assembly pivoted at a location near a lower portion and outer side thereof; a lower portion of said pad and trough assembly; a portion of said housing above said sump including means to tiltably and pivotally support said lower portion of said pad and trough assembly, said assembly having a trough at the top portion of said pad, said trough open at its upper portion and having water outlet openings in the lower portion thereof; and a lower portion of said assembly disposed inwardly of said housing above said sump when said upper portion is pivoted outwardly relative to a side of said housing whereby water may be poured into said trough to supply said sump; said assembly including means disposed to conduct water from said trough to said sump.

2. In a portable evaporative cooler the combination of:

a housing having a water sump therein; an evaporative cooler pad and trough assembly pivotally mounted in one side of said housing, said assembly pivoted at a location near a lower portion and outer side thereof; a lower portion of said pad and trough assembly; a portion of said housing above said sump including means to tiltably and pivotally support said lower portion of said pad and trough assembly, said assembly having a trough at the top portion of said pad, said trough open at its upper portion and having water outlet openings in the lower portion thereof; and a lower portion of said assembly disposed inwardly of said housing above said sump when said upper portion is pivoted outwardly relative to a side or" said housing whereby water may be poured into said trough to supply said sump; said assembly including means disposed to conduct water from said trough to said sump; and latch means disposed normally to hold the upper portion of said assembly inwardly of said housing.

3. In a portable evaporative cooler the combination or: a housing having a water sump therein; an evaporativc cooler pad and trough assembly ivotally mounted in one side of said housing, said assembly pivoted at a location near a lower portion and outer side thereof; a lower portion of said pad and trough assembl a portion of said housing above said sump including means to tiltably and pivotally support said lower portion of said pad and trough assembly, said assem ly having a trough at the top portion of said pad, said trough open at its upper portion and having water outlet openings in the lower portion thereof; and a lower portion of said asse ibly disposed inwardly of said housing above said sump when said upper portion is pivoted outwardly relative to a side of said housing whereby water may be poured into said trough to supply said sump; said assembly including means disposed to conduct water from said trough to said sump; and means for supplying water under pressure to said trough including a tube disposed to conduct water thereto; and bafile means above the area wherein water is delivered to said trough from said tube whereby overiiow of water at the sides of said trough is prevented.

4. in a portable evaporative cooler the combination of: a housing having a water sump therein; an evaporative cooler pad and trough assembly pivotally mounted in one side of said housing, said assembly pivoted at a location near a lower portion and outer side thereof; a lower portion of said pad and trough assembly; a portion of said housing above said sump including means to tiltably and pivotally support said lower portion of said pad and trough assembly, said assembly having a trough at the top portion of said pad, said trough open at its upper portion and having water outlet openings in the lower portion thereof; and a lower portion of said assembly disposed inwardly of said housing above said sump when said upper portion is pivoted outwardly relative to a side of said housing whereby water may be poured into said trough to supply said sump; said as 'sembly including means disposed to conduct water from said trough to said sump, said trough having openings in the bottom thereof and an evaporative cooler pad disposed therebelow and normally draining into said sump.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 563,493 7/96 Kruedelbach 312328 1,249,910 12/17 Deginer 312328 XR 2,319,403 5/43 Hill 3l2--328 XR 2,334,681 11/43 Murphy 292-59 XR 2,404,479 7/46 Essicl; 26197 2,752,842 7/ 56 Sumner.

2,827,270 3/58 Martin 26 1-1.9 3,064,677 11/62 Wright et a1.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

' HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A PORATBLE EVAPORATIVE COOLER THE COMBINATION OF: A HOUSING HAVING A WATER SUMP THEREIN; AN EVAPORATIVE COOLER PAD AND TROUGH ASSEMBLY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN ONE SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID ASSEMBLY PIVOTED AT A LOCATION NEAR A LOWER PORTION AND OUTER SIDE THEREOF; A LOWER PORTION OF SAID PAD AND TROUGH ASSEMBLY; A PORTION OF SAID HOUSING ABOVE SAID SUMP INCLUDING MEANS TO TITABLY AND PIVOTALLY SUSPPORT SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID PAD AND TROUGH ASSEMBLY, SAID ASSEMBLY HAVING A TROUGH AT THE TOP PORTION OF SAID PAD, SAID TROUGH OPEN AT ITS UPPER PORTION AND HAVING WATER OUTLET OPENINGS IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF; AND A LOWER PORTION OF SAID ASSEMBLY DISPOSED INWARDLY OF SAID HOUSING ABOVE SAID SUMP WHEN SAID UPPER PORTION IS PIVOTED OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO A SIDE OF SAID HOUSING WHEREBY WATER MAY BE POURED INTO SAID TROUGH TO SUPPLY SAID SUMP; SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING MEANS DISPOSED TO CONDUCT WATER FROM SAID TROUGH TO SAID SUMP. 